This is an interesting take on an almost forgotten summit meeting in Yalta near the end of WWII.
The book is well written and researched. I learned a fThis is an interesting take on an almost forgotten summit meeting in Yalta near the end of WWII.
The book is well written and researched. I learned a few new items about the meeting in Yalta; but, I also learned something about each of these daughters of Churchill, Roosevelt and Harriman. It was great to obtain a view of each of these famous men through the eyes of their daughters. I read with the benefit of hindsight, therefore, felt Winston Churchill’s frustration even more as he tried to warn Roosevelt about Stalin’s pending power grab and what the fate of Poland and other boarder countries under USSR would be. But no one would listen to Churchill. If you are interested in this period of history, I highly recommend this book.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is fourteen hours and fifty-five minutes. Christine Rendel does a good job narrating the book. Rendel is a British voice-over artist and audiobook narrator.
This is another book that looks at a specific topic or issue in a president’s life. It is not a biography. I noticed this is becoming a trend now to dThis is another book that looks at a specific topic or issue in a president’s life. It is not a biography. I noticed this is becoming a trend now to dissect an issue in history or a president/prime minister’s life rather than writing about the entire event.
The book is well written and researched. Scarborough focuses primarily on President Truman’s foreign policy achievements. Truman’s major concern after WWII was rebuilding a starving and destroyed Europe; and, Stalin’s aggression and how to stop it before all of Europe became part of the USSR. The author does provide a bit of background for those not familiar with the topic. I was interested, considering today’s dysfunctional Senate, how Truman and Arthur Vandenberg worked together. I noticed that Scarborough quoted Winston Churchill “Truman more than any other man saved civilization”. If you are interested in this topic, you will enjoy reading this book.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is eight hours and five minutes. Joe Scarborough does a good job narrating the book. ...more
Over the years, I have read many biographies of both Eisenhower and Marshall. This book is not a biography of either man but an examination of the relOver the years, I have read many biographies of both Eisenhower and Marshall. This book is not a biography of either man but an examination of the relationship between Eisenhower and Marshall. Marshall developed the strategic military plan for World War II in both theatres of war. Eisenhower implemented that plan in Europe & Africa. Eisenhower worked for General Douglas MacArthur when he was Chief of Staff of the Army; but he never developed a relationship as he did when he worked for General George Marshall when he was Chief of Staff of the Army.
The book is well written and researched. The book begins when Eisenhower starts work for General Marshall in the beginning of 1941 and ends with Marshall as Secretary of Defense and Eisenhower as the first Commander of NATO. Mark Perry does spend sometime on Eisenhower’s role developing NATO.
Mark Perry writes primarily about military topics and has written books about General Douglas MacArthur and many books about the American Civil War including the book “Grant and Twain”.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is seventeen hours and fifty-three minutes. James Anderson Foster does an excellent job narrating the book. Foster is an Audie nominee and winner of multiple Earphone Awards. He also is one of Audible’ s top 20 highest rated narrators. ...more
This book is easy to read and is interesting, but I cannot help feel there is something wrong. The first part of the book is an average biography of EThis book is easy to read and is interesting, but I cannot help feel there is something wrong. The first part of the book is an average biography of Edmund Burke (1729-1797). But, the last half of the book appears to me to be Jesse Norman’s opinions and viewpoints not that of Burke. I maybe wrong, but that is the impression I came away with.
Burke was born in Dublin, Ireland, and graduated from Trinity College, Dublin. He became a member of the British Parliament from 1765 to 1794 and was known for standing up for America during the Revolution.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is nine hours and forty-seven minutes. Anthony Ferguson does a good job narrating the book. Ferguson is a classically trained British actor. He has narrated many audiobooks and has won an Audiofile Magazine Earphone Award for his narration. ...more
The book is well written and researched. It was particularly well documented. I found the footnotes, notes and bibliography helpful.
The item that got The book is well written and researched. It was particularly well documented. I found the footnotes, notes and bibliography helpful.
The item that got my attention was in the preface of the book. Loftis said “For many war buffs, the testimony of spies is presumed false until proven true.” Spies never wrote things down or recounted details of their missions. Most of what they did is classified. Loftus took what Aline did and set out to prove what was true and what was false. I found this approach most fascinating. I appreciated the “Dramatis Personal” (a list of people in the story) and “The Rest of the Story” which summarized what happened to the various people. Loftis also included an overview history of Spain and its culture. I highly recommend this book. It is very easy to read.
The book is 349 pages and is to be released in 2021 by Atria Books. I received an Advance Reader’s Edition from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. ...more
This story takes place in the 17th Century. The story leads up to the British Civil War. Our protagonist, Kit Faulkner, is a street urchin when he is This story takes place in the 17th Century. The story leads up to the British Civil War. Our protagonist, Kit Faulkner, is a street urchin when he is caught stealing an apple core. The man that caught him set him up on a merchant ship to learn how to be a sailor. This book is the first in a series so we are primarily learning about the key characters. There is a lot of information about England’s societal problems of the time as well as sailing information. The only sea action takes place near the end of the book. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is eight hours and forty-nine minutes. Jonathan Keeble does a good job narrating the book. Keeble is an actor and voice-over artist. He has won four Earphone Awards and also won the 2016 Voice Arts Award. ...more
This is the story of the struggle by British physicians/surgeons and nurses for the right to an education/training in the field of medicine and for thThis is the story of the struggle by British physicians/surgeons and nurses for the right to an education/training in the field of medicine and for the right to practice their profession. Slowly they got to the point they were allow to care for women and children, but forbitten to treat men. World War One and the influenza pandemic changed their roles. This is the story of the all women run British Military Hospital called Endell Street Military Hospital.
Flora Murray and Louisa Garrett Anderson both physicians/surgeons went to France in 1914 with the British Red Cross and started an all women hospital for the care of all wounded. It was highly successful and impressed a few key British high-ranking officers. They returned to England in 1915 and built the Endell Street Hospital from an old building. It was the largest all women run military hospital. It was famous for being extremely clean (Florence Nightingale would have been proud). During the 1917-18 pandemic they had barriers between beds; staff all wore masks and gowns. The hospital was continuously scrubbed clean. Moore published a book called “No Man’s Land”, but I believe it is the same book under different title. I found this book fascinating. The treatment of not only the women in the medical field after WWI but all the women that stepped up and carried on the work was despicable, but not unexpected. Women may have been blocked again from an education or right to work, but at least they got the right to vote. I highly recommend this book. It held my attention throughout.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is fourteen hours and thirty minutes. Antonia Davies does an excellent job narrating the book. Davies is a British actress and audiobook narrator. ...more
I noticed the death announcement of Peter Kubicek and decided to read his memoir about his survival of the Holocaust. The book was written for his dauI noticed the death announcement of Peter Kubicek and decided to read his memoir about his survival of the Holocaust. The book was written for his daughters when they turned fifteen years old. He tells of what his life was like on his fifteenth birthday in a German concentration camp. Later the book was added onto and made public.
The book is well written; it is short and concise. It is a collection of vivid memories during his childhood and then filled with general information and information about his family memoires. The author provided some information about Czechoslovakia at the start of the War. Kubicek was in numerous camps over the course of the War, and he tells about the key ones. It is an interesting book. With what is happening in our world today, it is important to remember these stories so that history will not repeat. Unfortunately, it is being repeated in various countries in the world.
I read this as an e-book downloaded from Amazon to my Kindle app on my iPad. The book is 118 pages and was published on November 12, 2012. ...more
Niall Ferguson is a preeminent historian. This was his first book that helped build his reputation as a meticulous researcher. This is a scholarly worNiall Ferguson is a preeminent historian. This was his first book that helped build his reputation as a meticulous researcher. This is a scholarly work and is not for everyone.
The book is well written and meticulously researched. Ferguson has gone into depth and with great detail in telling the history of the Rothschild family. The author tells the story of a German Jewish family from the ghettoes who rose over many generations to be the most powerful and secretive family held financial institution in the world. At times the book is a bit tedious. Overall, I learned a great amount of most interesting information about finance, as well about the finance of wars. The family are Jewish and experienced extreme anti-Semitism over the centuries. I found the hatred of the Jews in Europe over the centuries shocking. They confined them to walled in ghettoes, made them wear certain markings on their clothing and then about every fifty years they killed them in massive numbers. I found the book fascinating, but it will be a while before I tackle volume two.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is twenty-eight hours and eleven minutes. Alexander Adams does an excellent job narrating the book. Alexander Adams is a pseudonym for narrator Grover Gardner. Gardner is an Audie winner and has won eighteen Earphone Awards. He is also Audiophile’s One of the Best Voices of the Century and a winner of the Golden Voice Award. ...more
This is not your standard memoir. Dean Rusk (1909-1994) said he would never write a memoir and did not keep a diary or any of his papers. His son, RicThis is not your standard memoir. Dean Rusk (1909-1994) said he would never write a memoir and did not keep a diary or any of his papers. His son, Richard Rusk, had lots of questions about his life and convinced his father to tell him about his life. The result is this book. There is no photography or documentation except for a few copies of speeches or other writings. The first part of the book is done chronologically, but the latter is done by issues or topics.
The book is well written. I found the book most interesting. What I liked the best was his discussion of his life in England as a Rhodes Scholar. He came from a rural Georgia farm to Oxford University with its centuries of traditions. He also discussed the difference between the philosophy of higher education between England and the USA. Rusk spent most of his life working in various roles at the State Department except for a period of time when he was president of the Rockefeller Foundation. He was Secretary of State (1961-1969) under John Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson. I enjoyed his comments and analysis of the various people he worked with as well as the presidents (6) he served. I found his analysis of Truman and Johnson most interesting as well as that of General George Marshall. Rusk discussed and analyzed his good decisions as well as his bad ones. I was surprised he was able to do this in a neutral manner. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book; in many ways it was a trip down memory lane for me. I only wish there were pictures.
I read this as a hardback book purchased from Amazon. It is 672 pages published by Norton Publishing Company. The publishing date is July 1, 1990. ...more
I was trying to choose which biography of Disraeli to read. I settled on this book by Blake as it is considered the seminal biography of Benjamin DisrI was trying to choose which biography of Disraeli to read. I settled on this book by Blake as it is considered the seminal biography of Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881).
This book is well written and meticulously researched. I like having the documentation at the end of every chapter instead of it at the end of the book. Blake cover in depth Disraeli’s writing career as well as his life as a politician. The author discussed Disraeli’s faults as well as his strengths. I think Blake did a fairly good job of presenting a neutral view of Disraeli.
I have wanted to read about Disraeli for years because I was constantly coming across him in other biographers such as that of Queen Victoria, Peele and Gladstone. I find this period of British history most interesting.
I read this as an e-book downloaded from Amazon to my Kindle app on my iPad. The book is 860 pages originally published by Faber and Fare in 1966. ...more
The biography of Odette Sansom Churchill (1912-1995) is absolutely amazing. Odette was a French woman married to an Englishman. She left her husband aThe biography of Odette Sansom Churchill (1912-1995) is absolutely amazing. Odette was a French woman married to an Englishman. She left her husband and three children to return to occupied France as a spy for the SOE (Special Operation Executive Program, a British spy agency)
The book is well written and researched. The conversations are taken verbatim from the records. The book is well documented. After the war Odette married Peter Churchill (1909-1972). He served in occupied France with her during the War. Loftis describes Odette’s ordeal as a prisoner in grisly detail. Therefore, the reader should be aware of the violence before reading it. Overall, this is an exciting and interesting biography.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is nine hours and fifty-nine minutes. Kate Reading does an excellent job narrating the book. Reading is an actress and voice artist. She has been nominated three times for the Audie Award and won it once. She also has been awarded three Earphone Awards.
There are two books by the same name,” Napoleon: A Life”. This one is by Zamoyski and was published in 2019. The other is by Andrew Roberts and publisThere are two books by the same name,” Napoleon: A Life”. This one is by Zamoyski and was published in 2019. The other is by Andrew Roberts and published in 2015. I read it in 2015 and found it to be an outstanding biography of Napoleon. The reason I decided to read Zamoyski’s book was his attempt to debunk the fantasy, myth and exaggeration of Napoleon’s life. Zamoyski attempts to reveal more about Napoleon’s personal life than did Roberts.
The book is well written and researched. Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821) has had so much written about him. I have been fascinated by Napoleon since I was a child. Therefore, I have read much written about him. A book must have a hook or different approach to entice me to read it. Zamoyski primarily portrays Napoleon as a self-made opportunist. The author attempts to reveal Napoleon’s skills and talents as well as his flaws. Zamoyski states Napoleon was a tactician not a strategist. That is the opposite opinion from most historians. Napoleon was gifted in many areas from mathematics to logistics. He also imposed his theory of how governments should operate on Europe. He also rewrote the legal system and it is still in use today. Zamoyski continued the falsehood about Napoleon’s height. He was 5’7” which was the average height of a French man in that era. This book is easy to read and well worth the effort.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded to Audible. The book is twenty-seven hours and ten minutes. Leighton Pugh does a good job narrating the book. Pugh is an actor and audiobook narrator....more
This is about the Punic Wars (264BC –146BC) between Rome and Carthage. Much has been written about this epic ancient conflict. The result of the PunicThis is about the Punic Wars (264BC –146BC) between Rome and Carthage. Much has been written about this epic ancient conflict. The result of the Punic Wars led to the ascendancy of Rome.
The book is well written and researched. Goldsworthy does write in an academic style of a historian, but is easily readable for a lay person like me. The author covers the three Punic Wars. (Punicus in Latin for Phoenician as Carthage was part of the old Phoenician Empire.) The book is strong on military history and techniques. Goldsworthy does a good job analyzing the cultural differences between Rome and Carthage. The author also explains about the Roman Army of the period and the Roman political system of the day. Goldsworthy does an excellent job explaining the factors that brought about the wars. I learned more about some key people of the time such as: Hannibal, Fabius Maximus and lastly Scipio Aemilianus. If you would like to know about the Punic Wars this book will provide a good understanding of the Wars. I enjoyed reading about the ancient history.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is sixteen hours and twenty-six minutes. The well-known British audiobook narrator Derek Perkins does an excellent job. Perkins has won the Audie Award and many Earphone Awards for audiobook narrations. He also narrates in the following languages: Russian, French and Welsh as well as in English. ...more
I am a big fan of Churchill. I have an extensive library of books by and about Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965). I was going to purchase this book foI am a big fan of Churchill. I have an extensive library of books by and about Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965). I was going to purchase this book for my library, but I found the typeface so tiny I was unable to read it. I do have reduced vision and primarily use audiobooks so I ended up purchasing this book in audiobook format. Unfortunately, I did not have access to the maps, illustrations and photographs in the printed format. This is the first major biography of Churchill since “Churchill: A Biography” by Roy Jenkins in 2001. My favorite is Winston’s own memoirs, but I do like the multiple volumes by William Manchester. Andrew Roberts is a British historian. A goal of Roberts was to write this in one volume but the tiny print the publisher had to use to achieve the goal makes it unrealistic. The book is 1152 pages.
The book is well written and is divided into two section: his life prior to 1940 and his life after 1940. Roberts has new information from newly released documents and letters including meeting notes from King George VI. It appears that the King and Churchill had a good working relationship. But the majority of information is well known to Churchill fans and scholars. In trying to keep this into one volume, Roberts did not provide extensive analytic depth. I did not find the book to be hagiographic as some reviews have stated; but, it does have a bit of a Churchillian spin to it because he quoted a great deal from Churchill. I liked the last chapter as it provided a summary of the pros and cons about Churchill. Even with the addition of the new information, I did not learn anything new about Churchill, but I always like to read about my hero. If you have not read about Churchill before, this book will provide the latest overview of him.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is fifty hours and twenty-eight minutes. Stephen Thorne does a good job narrating the book. Thorne is a British actor and well-known audiobook narrator. It was great listening to his beautiful voice. ...more
This is a long book at 928 pages or 41 hours and 35 minutes in audiobook format. Julian Jackson covers De Gaulle from childhood to death. The book is This is a long book at 928 pages or 41 hours and 35 minutes in audiobook format. Julian Jackson covers De Gaulle from childhood to death. The book is well written and meticulously researched. I have read a lot of books about World War I, but I do not recall any author mentioning the role De Gaulle played in the Great War. Jackson covers in detail De Gaulle’s role as a lieutenant in the WWI.
Jackson appears to have done a good job in writing an unbiased biography of De Gaulle. The author covers in-depth De Gaulle’s role in World War II. I must admit that when I started reading this book most of my knowledge about De Gaulle was based on my readings by Churchill and Eisenhower. It was good to obtain an unbiased viewpoint of De Gaulle. I learned about his role in WWII and as president of France. I still do not have a high opinion of him. One of his comments I cannot seem to get out of my mind is as follows: “It is not the role of government to obtain proposals or seek consensus but to give orders”. That statement seems to really bother me. I also noted he tried to do away with political parties but was unsuccessful.
I enjoyed the book and learning about De Gaulle and also about the civil war with Algeria that De Gaulle triggered. If you are interested in De Gaulle or French history, you should give the book a try.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. Julian Jackson is a British historian. James Adams does a good job narrating the book. I enjoyed his British accent. Adams is a British audiobook narrator who now lives in the United States. ...more
This is a novel based on the life of Hedy Lamarr (1914-2000). She was primarily known as an actress, but she was also an inventor. She developed, alonThis is a novel based on the life of Hedy Lamarr (1914-2000). She was primarily known as an actress, but she was also an inventor. She developed, along with George Antheil, a radio guidance system for torpedoes. The navy did not implement her system until the 1960s. She also developed the principle of Bluetooth technology. She also had patents for various microphone and sound systems innovations. She had many patents in her name. She was a Jew and fled Austria ahead of the Nazis.
I found Hedy’s fight against the Nazis and role as an inventor most interesting. She was a very intelligent woman and I wonder how much more she could have achieved in today’s world. I enjoyed the novel because it was based on fact.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is eight hours and fifty-four minutes. Suzanne Toren does an excellent job narrating the book. Toren is a well-known narrator. For over thirty years she was a key narrator for The American Foundation for the Blind. In 1988 she won the Narrator of the year for the American Foundation for the Blind. In 2009 she won the Best Voice in Non-Fiction by Audiofile Magazine....more
This is a fascinating story about a historian’s search for the truth about her family history. I highly recommend this book. If you have ever done anyThis is a fascinating story about a historian’s search for the truth about her family history. I highly recommend this book. If you have ever done any genealogy research on your family, you will be enthralled with this book. Lindahl was born in Brazil where her grandparents had emigrated after World War II. She discovered her grandfather was not only a Nazi but SS. This book will make you stop and think about the rise of fascism and what is happening today in the world. Can history repeat itself?
The book is well written and researched. She tells of her grandparents’ lives but also about her own emotions about her discoveries. Lindahl uses her skills as an academic to research and report on this difficult subject. I found her search techniques to be interesting. Lindahl earned her B.S. from Wellesley and was a Fulbright Scholar to Germany majoring in the German language. She earned a Ph.D. in International Relations from Oxford University. She was a Steven Traveling Fellow 2015-16 at Wellesley College and University College of London. She lives in Sweden.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is nine hours. Gabra Zackman does a great job narrating the book. Zackman is an actress and audiobook narrator. ...more
This topic is new to me. I have not read about Italian monarchs before.
Joanna I (1326-1382) ruled Southern Italy for over thirty years despite invadeThis topic is new to me. I have not read about Italian monarchs before.
Joanna I (1326-1382) ruled Southern Italy for over thirty years despite invaders, plague, four husbands, jealous-in-laws and the death of her children. She even stood trial before the Pope having been accused of murdering her husband Prince Andrew (1327-1345) of Hungary. Her life reads like a soap opera.
The book is well written and researched. The book is written in an academic style. In the audiobook version the footnotes were inserted in the appropriate place. After reading the book, I thought the use of the word notorious in the title was inappropriate. Goldstone wrote an unbiased biography of Joanna I. This was mostly new information to me. I found the scheming for power both by the royal families and by the Pope intriguing. It appears women’s lives in the middle ages were miserable. This book reveals that I need to expand my range of reading/learning. This is my first experience reading Nancy Goldstone’s work. She is an expert on medieval history.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is fifteen hours and 6 minutes. Christine Lakin does a good job narrating the book. Lakin is an actress and audiobook narrator. This is my first experience listening to her read.
After reading “The Marshall Plan” by Benn Steil, I discovered I knew little about two men who were key to that time in history. They were Averell HarrAfter reading “The Marshall Plan” by Benn Steil, I discovered I knew little about two men who were key to that time in history. They were Averell Harriman (1891-1986) and Dean Acheson (1893-1971). I obtained biographies of both men.
Averell Harriman’s life and career spanned an interesting and fast changing time from 1898 to 1986. I have discovered in my reading that Harry Truman, George Marshall, Arthur Vandenberg, George Kennan, Dean Acheson and Averell Harriman all played a key role in developing and implementing the Marshall Plan. George Kennan had analytical and strategic brilliance. Dean Acheson had a commanding presence and international skill. Harriman had a legendary one-on-one negotiating skill. He had an uncanny sense of what, as a negotiator, would work and what would not. He acquired this skill as a railroad and shipping magnate as well as a banker and financier. These men made a magnificent team.
Harriman’s life covered so much history and was intertwined with the key upper echelon people of the time. I kept coming across interesting information such as Harriman and George Herbert Walker (Bush family) were partners in the racing of several Thoroughbred race horses. Harriman had bought out August Belmont’s racing and breeding stables from the Belmont Estate. I am going to keep this book for reference as it contains so much information about the time.
The hardback book is 779 pages. It is well documented and index. There are lots of photographs. My only complaint is that for a hardback book I wished the type was larger. The book was published in 1992 by William Morrow and Company....more
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